


Vigilance

by chaosmyth (kaientai)



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, M/M, before canon, reader is NOT the mc in the game, set in Nevivon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-27 11:21:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19789837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaientai/pseuds/chaosmyth
Summary: Doctor Devorak is a man too irritatingly cheerful for his own good, but there are times when you catch him drowning in the slate-gray ocean mirrored in his eyes.





	Vigilance

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there~~ I finished Julian's route about a week ago, and thought -- hey won't it be rad to write about Jules' experiences before he came back to Vesuvia to investigate what happened the night Lucio died? Also, I thought doing something a lil different from a MC/Julian fic would be fun. 
> 
> In case you didn't catch the tags, the reader is NOT the MC in the canon story of The Arcana. This story is set in Nevivon, Julian and Portia's hometown, about a year or so before the prologue begins in the game.

The custom of greeting newly moved neighbors with a simple housewarming gift was a staple in the salty little town of Nevivon. It didn’t really happen often. Those foreigners visited for the purpose of relaxation at the hot springs by the sea, but not many chose to stay. With that in mind, the locals made it a norm to accommodate a new face into the town as boisterously as possible. They went out of their way to do so for you when you decided to settle down here all those years ago, after all.

But as you stepped inside the newly opened clinic next door, nervously clutching a plant box that’s fresh out of the local potter’s furnace, you observed that there aren’t as many people crowding the place like you initially anticipated. From the looks of it, those in line were here for a check-up rather than a welcoming party. One boy was clutching his stomach as he groaned into his mother’s arms; a woman in silken robes sat still in her seat, belly swollen a good three or four months; and an impatient looking fellow drummed his fingers on the upholstered bench. When you had emerged from the door, those present spared you a fleeting glance before resuming what they had been engrossed with prior to your entrance. 

Were you late, perhaps? Did the new doctor already get his fair share of housewarming gifts and eager Nevivon hospitality? No, that didn’t seem right. You lived the next door over, so you would certainly notice if there’s something like that taking place. 

“...They sell them chopped lizard tails at a steal price in the market. Boil them up at home, and that nasty sore throat will be gone in a few hours!” 

A deep-set voice resounded from a hallway slightly obscured by a velvet curtain tied in the middle. Two pairs of feet could be heard shuffling closer to the lobby. One hand pulls back the curtain, revealing the tall, auburn-haired doctor you’ve caught glimpses of when he moved in yesterday. Following closely was—

“Donna?” You craned your head to the side at the sight of one of your colleagues.

She snapped her gaze to you almost immediately. “(Name)! Good to see you here. Are you getting a check-up from Doctor Devorak, too?” Her voice held a scratchy undertone to it, and you wondered if that had anything to do with the boiled lizard tails you overheard in their conversation. 

“Uh, no. Not really,” came your sheepish reply as you tucked the plant box beneath your arm. When you notice your neighbor—Doctor Devorak—eyeing you with subtle curiosity, you turned to face him with a gentle smile. “I just thought I’d give Nevivon’s newest citizen a housewarming gift.”

Donna snorted. “Oh, quit being silly, (Name)! Don’t you recognize him?” 

“Am I supposed to?” you asked, face contorting in confusion. 

The doctor let out a light-hearted laugh which you didn’t expect someone so intimidating could do. With the black eyepatch and towering stature, it was easy to mistake him for some gruffy man who didn’t didn’t have time to crack so much as a giggle; yet here he was.

“Might I ask if you know a certain woman that goes by Pasha?” Doctor Devorak questioned with upturned brows.

You contemplate for a moment, jogging your memory for anyone who answered to that name. Pasha...Pasha… 

“Oh!” You snapped your fingers. “You mean Portia? She worked with Donna and I at the tavern when I first moved here. Haven’t seen her since she left for Vesuvia though. Hmm, she did say something about looking for a lost…” Your voice trailed off once your thoughts coincided with what’s in front of you. “...brother.”

His lips curled into a smirk when the realization dawned on you, and he was about to open his mouth to respond. But before he could, the cranky looking man from earlier began complaining about how unprofessional he was being by having lengthy conversations despite the line in his lobby. You tried your best to suppress the laugh bubbling in your chest when Doctor Devorak rolled his eyes as the man went ahead of him to what you presumed was his office. 

Donna paid her fees shortly after. Then, once she secured a promise of a night out with you one of these days, she was on her way. 

With a sigh, Doctor Devorak carded his fingers through his vibrant hair, so much like Portia’s, but a few shades darker. That brief moment of contemplation was enough for you to do a double-take on his person. 

You pondered about why you didn’t manage to connect the dots at first. Maybe it’s because you’ve never known Portia’s last name? Ah, nonetheless, the doctor was a looker; that’s for certain. The eyepatch provided somewhat of a mysterious air to him, too. And with the way that white dress shirt clung loosely to his slender frame, he was sure to attract the attention of some of the ladies in town, if he hadn’t already. 

Snapping you out of your trance, the doctor’s steely gaze then landed on the plant box you’re still carrying around. His lips twitched into a wobbly smile as he intoned, “Is this, perhaps, for me?” 

“Y-yeah,” you told him. “But the purpose is apparently beaten now that I know you’ve been here for longer than I have.” 

He chuckled airily. “It’s quite alright. It’s not like I made myself memorable in this town anyways.” 

Not wanting to delay him any further on his opening day, you handed Doctor Devorak your supposed welcoming gift which he accepted gingerly. 

“Forgive me, I can’t really indulge you with some tea and small talk at the moment.” He sighed. “Even I hadn’t anticipated this influx of patients. As they have been in the past, Nevivon’s citizens are too trusting. What if I’m actually a hack doctor?” 

You hefted your brows at his words, cracking him an amused smile. “ _Are_ you?” 

Something flashes across his eye for a sliver of a moment, but it’s gone just as it manifested. “Heavens, no. I didn’t study medicine in Prakra for nothing.” 

Impressed, you gave him an approving nod. “I’ll make sure to go to you when I’m feeling under the weather then.”

Doctor Devorak made a satisfied noise, but just as you were about to turn on your heel to leave, he grabbed your wrist. “Oh, before you go, might I ask who you are?”

“(Name). I live next door.” You grinned. “My house is the one with the garden. If you want to grow something in that plant box, just let me know.”

“A thoughtful gift, I must say,” he imparted, a warm smile splitting his face. 

Once you escorted yourself out, a sharp voice shouting for you to get out of the way rang in your ears. When you glanced at the road before you, a carriage being pulled by agitated horses was hurtling your way. The coachman was tugging ceaselessly at the reins, which only served to distress the animals even further. 

Frowning, you raised a hand in their vague direction, waiting for them to cross your range of influence. When the horses clamored where your magic could reach them, you took a deep breath, holding it just for a moment until you could feel a calming aura exuding from your palm as you exhaled. Just before they could trample you, the horses came to an abrupt halt, the carriage slamming back on the dirt road from the force. 

The onlookers gasped in awe, making you click your tongue in displeasure. This was why you didn’t like using your powers if it wasn’t direly needed. 

“T-thank you!” The coachman slid off his seat, shaking your hands too profusely. “They went crazy out of nowhere! I swear, they’re much more behaved than this.”

You glanced at the horses in curiosity. Both of them had beautiful brown coats and well-kept manes that suggested they’re definitely in good hands. One of them nudged you with its muzzle, possibly knowing you’re the source of the blast of energy from earlier. Sighing, you gently patted its forehead.

“Is there any way I can repay you? You saved my livelihood there!” 

“Um, that won’t be necessary.”

“Please, I insist!”

All the way from the second floor of Doctor Devorak’s clinic, a certain auburn-haired man watched the events outside unfold from the window with puzzled curiosity.

The patient he’s working with was in the middle of telling him about a nasty wart that grew on his bum, but that didn’t lie in Julian’s expertise, really. He’d just tell him to buy some soothing cream in a local apothecary, and blame it on an infection if that proved to be fruitless. 

When the irksome man left his office with a more or less fake prescription, Julian took a few moments to collect his thoughts, a gloved hand thoughtlessly probing his throat where the mark (which he believed a certain, alabaster-haired magician cursed him with) emitted a soft glow.

Was it just him or did magic follow him everywhere he went? 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm quite scared that this won't be well-received, since it's well, different, but do let me know what you think :^)


End file.
